Yummy House South China Bistro
4 out of 5 stars
302 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. Appetizers: $5-$16; entrees: $8.95-$45; wine: $4-$10; desserts: $5-$7. 813-513-4788; yhschinabistro.com.
Yummy House has been an icon in the Tampa Bay food scene and on CL’s Best of the Bay lists since long before I came to the paper in 2012. But because my focus is reporting on the food at mostly new arrivals, I never had the pleasure of having a meal there until the restaurant brand recently opened its newest China Bistro south of I-275.
Icons reach exalted status because of sustained excellence, like Bern’s or the Columbia. But it can be easy to take your clients for granted, or to slip a little. That’s why it takes concerted effort to maintain Michelin stars or universal acclaim. Kitchens must continually strive — maintaining supply chains of the best ingredients, assuring line staff never slack off on their techniques, and constantly adapting to new trends and technologies as appropriate.
As I enter Yummy House South’s charming space on Dale Mabry, I’m aware of this burden, wondering if the place is really all it’s cracked up to be. Obviously, founders John Zhao and Tommy Tang have successfully cloned Yummy House with outposts in Sarasota, Gainesville, Ocala, Orlando and now South Tampa. But I’ve had plenty of tasty Chinese food here and around the country. What could possibly set this apart? I’ve brought some tasters who love Asian food and regularly eat dishes from their local Chinese takeout.
The huge menu bounces between rustic, traditional Chinese gastronomy and a more refined Hong Kong culinary style. My bucket list travels have largely focused on Europe, so I can’t attest to firsthand knowledge of their authenticity, but I can report that dinner is a triumph of layered flavors that are complex and multidimensional.
Salt and pepper calamari is acclaimed as a signature dish; in fact, the restaurant offers six variations of battered salt and pepper appetizers. If you ever doubted the power of these two common seasonings, which are at the center of all kitchens — so much so that they are taken for granted — don’t miss this one. Yummy House South smartly uses the larger tentacles in two-inch lengths instead of cutting across the squid’s body into ubiquitous rings. The result is a revelation. The dish’s coating is crisp and appealing with an inside soft and tender. The team kicks the whole thing up a notch with a complex, yet balanced, garnish of minced green onions, cilantro, roasted garlic and chiles.
We decide to try the Hong Kong-style wonton soup, which is often a cliche. But much like the calamari, the restaurant’s elevated the dish, and there’s plenty to share. Huge wontons stuffed with succulent shrimp and pork float with pieces of split bok choy that retain a welcome crunch. The complex “supreme” broth is aptly named. It’s simply delicious.
The scrumptious Hong Kong-style roasted barbecue spare ribs shimmering with red glaze are cut into one-inch squares and presented in an overflowing bowl. While they’re the perfect opportunity to practice your chopstick skills, I end up using my hands — as they’re finger-licking good.
We opt for the house fried rice as a benchmark. It’s a way to assess the kitchen’s command of basic technique. The dish is simple, but there are many pitfalls. Rice and eggs can be demanding ingredients; the Goldilocks zone for perfection is a narrow one, and it’s easy to screw up. This jasmine rice has fluffy individual grains dotted with accents of perfect shrimp, tiny bits of barbecue pork, chicken, and soft scrambled egg, plus green onions and cilantro. Clearly, there’s complete mastery of the wok and timing. Every item that follows only reinforces my impression.
Garlic chicken is surprisingly subtle. Each part of the stir-fry is carefully and attractively cut so that the veggies come to the table with optimal texture. It’s a colorful mix of zucchini, celery, water chestnuts, mushrooms, succulent baby corn, and sweet carrots in a garlic sauce enhancing the large, thin squares of moist white breast meat. The sauce glistens as it coats the elements with a glaze that’s devoid of a hint of harshness garlic often imparts.
Even better is the surprising beef udon with black pepper sauce, recommended by our server. Thick, sautéed Japanese wheat udon noodles burst with flavor. Like the garlic above, the black pepper sauce seduces rather than assaults. Thin strips of beef burst with umami goodness, and julienned peppers add welcome grace notes without a jarring presence. It’s divine.
Again, scallops and shrimp in wine sauce reflect a full command of technique. Both are easily over-cooked and can turn rubbery in seconds. These are sautéed to perfection, balanced with crisp snow peas and fresh, quartered button mushrooms in a well-integrated wine sauce with hints of garlic. The flavors are wonderfully harmonious and enjoyed by all.
What’s serendipitous about the restaurant is diners’ ability to share enormous portions and still have plenty of leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch. We’re so sated, and also full of hot tea, that we almost forget to ask about dessert.
Unfortunately, Yummy House South’s sweet menu caves to the demands of American palates. The six selections — four of which are available when we dine — are distinctly Western and not made in-house. We go for a forgettable, fluffy, mousse-like key lime pie. My advice is to skip dessert and revel in the glorious dishes that keep Yummy House at the apex of the region’s Asian kitchens.
CL Food Critic Jon Palmer Claridge dines anonymously when reviewing. Check out the explanation of his rating system, or email him at [email protected].
